Berniiard froiilich



(No Model.)

' B. FROHLIGH.

I I ELASTIC STEEL T133. No. 563,761. Pafte nted July 14, 1896.

5 alrea'dydescribed.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFricE,

BERNIIARD mention, on LEIPSIO, GERMANY.

ELASTiC STEEL TIRE,"

SPECIFICATION formin part of Letters Patent 110563561, dated July 14, 1896.

v Application filed cember 31, 1895. Seria1ll0. 573,894=. (No man.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNHARD Fnennicn, a subject of the King of Saxony, residing at Leipsie, Saxony, Germany, have made a new ,5 and useful invention in the Improvements of Elastic Steel Tires for Cycles and other Vehicles, of which the following is a full and exact specification.

This invention has for its object an elastic IO steel tire, which can be used instead of the pneumatic tires new ordinarily used and by 'means of which improved tire very-great elasticity is obtained. Instead of the ordinary methods of construction in which in the pneu- I 5 -m atic tire elastic materials are brought more or less close to each other, or in which an elastic tire of indie-rubber or other elastic material is attached to the wheel-tire by lacing, the

tire in the present invention is composed of. a number of extremely elastic steel springs,

which are surrounded by an outer steelband, over which the ordinary-ceverin tire is directly fitted. 1

In the accompanying drawings, which are 2 5 illustrations of the invention, Figure 1 is a section through the tire, and Fig. 2 a side View with the coveringtire partly removed.

The wheel-rim a is bent into V-form in sec.- tion, and is provided on both sides with wide separate steel springs I), which are bentinto a being bent down and around as shown, and having flanges bcorresponding with those c, There are a large number ct the springs b, and they are fixed at a suitable distance apart round the wheel-rim'u. Between the flanges c 'of; the wheel-rim and those Z) of the elastic steel springsb a strip o of india-rubber e is placed, in order 'to further increase the elasticity of the springs I). The springs b may be fastened to the rim (L by rivets, screws, or other equivalent means. Ronndthe elastic springs b is fitted a very s light elastic steel'stri p or ring (I, which is attached to some or'all of thespriiigs. Outside the steel band at and the separate elastic springs the outer flexible covering-tire f is These flanges serve to hold the.

fitted, and is held, by means of its thickened edges f',' by the bent steel bands g, which can either-be riveted to the springs b or may consist of a separate ring, in which case such ring g must be first arranged around the wheelrinrand the separate springs be then intro f duced, In this Way an elastic tire is formed 5 5 at least as efiicient as a pneumatic tire, and

, having the advantage of greater safety without the cost being increased. 1 Having now particularly described and ascert-ained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-- 1.v In a bicycle-tire, the combination with the rim having outwardly-extending fla nges at opposite sides, of the series of springs provided with outwardly-extending flanges and arranged at intervals around the circumference of .the' rim, anelastic packing between, the flanges of the rim and springs, means to secure said flanges together, a metallic strip or ring connecting said springs togetheiyand an inclosing flexible tire secured to' said parts to form the trend of the wheel, substantially as 4 described.

2. In a bicycle-tire, the combination with the rim having outwardly-extending flanges, of the series of springs having their ends turned outwardly to lie over said flanges, an elastic packing between the flanges of the .l'llll and the outwardly-turned ends'oi the spring f lie-strip or ring connecting said springs together to prevent lateral movement thereof,

7 an inclosing flexible tire formed with enlarged edges, and metallic rings enei rcling the opposite sides of said rim and provided with inturned edges to engage the enlarged edges of the tire to hold the tire in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v liERNllAltl) .FRUHLICIL 'itnessesz Renown FRILKE,

(rrro W. UEDEHLEIN.

4 men n s to secure the springs to the rim, a met-ah I 

